Upper Wiedtal

Westerwald - an eventful hike Even before your hike starts, there is plenty to discover in Hachenburg, the pearl of the Westerwald: among other things, the landscape museum, which is well worthseeing, awaits you within sight of the trail. The centrepiece of the museum is the baroque hunting lodge of the Counts of Sayn-Hachenburg. The open-air museum displays a group of farmsteads with buildings that were moved here from other places. You should definitely visit the market square, affectionately known as the Alter Markt. Surrounded by beautiful half-timbered houses, the golden, double-tailed lion, the town's landmark, sits enthroned in the centre. Explore this and many other beautiful places that Hachenburg has in store for its guests on a guided tour of the town. As the name suggests, the Hachenburg adventure brewery offers its visitors a real experience in the art of brewing. Experience the fascination of brewing beer! A special highlight awaits you on the way with the spectacular view from the observation tower on the Gräbersberg. After climbing 196 steps, you will reach the viewing platform at a height of 34 metres and, weather permitting, can enjoy the view as far as the Siebengebirge. The Alpenroder Hütte invites you to take a break here.

The source of the Wied springs from beneath the roots of a centuries-old beech tree. From there, you start and follow the Wied towards Dreifelden, where you can marvel at the oldest stone church in the Westerwald, the Dreifaltigkeitskirche. On the banks of the Dreifelder Weiher, the largest body of water in the Westerwald lake district, take a break on one of the benches, relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. You follow the Wiedweg and leave the Dreifelder Weiher nature reserve in the direction of Oberes Wiedtal, where you come across the Steinebach/Wied sculpture park. With its cultural and historical symbols, the characteristics of the landscape have been visualised in the form of five "sculptures along the path and stream". The Upper Wiedtal nature reserve with its floodplain landscapes, wet meadows and biotopes is home to many plant and animal species. You accompany the Wied to the village of Höchstenbach, where your 1st stage of the Wiedweg ends.

I'm looking forward to the second stage of the Wiedweg because it promises to be very varied. At the beginning of the hike, the late Romanesque, Protestant parish church of St. George in Höchstenbach fascinates me with its wall paintings from the 13th century. For about five hours I mostly follow the course of the Wied, also through the landscape protection area "Im Dorn" on the southern edge of Altenkirchen with its species and varied flora and fauna. In Michelbach, I marvel at the Michelbach mill, which still today, powered by the water power of the Wied, grinds up to 110 tons of wheat a day. With its six grinders, it is one of the largest mills in the region. The Mühlengraben is also still used (today for power generation). My highlight is the Bismarck Tower, which was restored in 2010. It is a monument and landmark of Altenkirchen at the same time and, at a height of 14 metres, offers a great view of the landscape in the northern Westerwald. (Information and opening hours: www.bismarckturm-ak.de) My hiking stage ends again at a Romanesque basilica worth seeing, this time in Almersbach. From here, only 1.5 km separate me from Altenkirchen train station.

I'm standing at the Rotenhain train station and decide to pay a visit to the nearby Stöffel Park first. In this quarry adventure park, the world's first mouse was found with an age of 25 million years. Then it goes back and my next destination is the Wied spring in Linden. I follow the markings to the Dreifelder Weiher, the largest of the lakes in the Westerwald lake district, and enjoy the wonderful natural landscape of the Wiedaue on the tour. Near Altenkirchen I come across the 100-year-old Bismarck Tower, which can be visited on the first Sunday of every month. The Alvensleben tunnel then awaits in Burglahr. Ore was mined here until 1930, today it is open to visitors. The handicraft museum in Waldbreitbach, next to an oil mill, also arouses my curiosity. I can visit it on Saturdays and Sundays and take a coffee break in the rustic rooms. The further way leads me directly to Neuwied, where the Wied flows into the Rhine.